Power Sources
Every power has a source: an explanation (however flimsy or fantastical) for why ''it works. Power sources are not only essential for explaining a power to confused onlookers: when one super wishes to interfere with another's powers with his own, their respective sources generally dictate how the interaction will play out. Note that in M&M terms, "source" is not necessarily synonymous with "descriptor." An otherwise normal man with a laser rifle uses the Supertech source for that attack, but its descriptor would be "laser blast." A given super (and thus his powers) may have more than one source, just as a power may have multiple descriptors. This list of power sources is not exhaustive, but Wayne should be contacted before anything is added to it (normal edits are fine, of course). Keep in mind a super may not know exactly what his power source is; Father Jameson believes his powers are God-given, and to an extent that's true (he uses chi powers that only his faith let him master), but the Supers setting is deliberately agnostic so the true explanation isn't what he assumes. Anima There is energy in the universe that most can't perceive, but which can be channeled through exotic methods to empower a talented few. "Anima" is based on the Latin phrase "animating principle," and critics suggest the name is only used because "force" was already taken. Anima is just as ubiquitous as energy and mysteriously behaves differently depending on how it's channeled. For example, the vast majority of powers called "magic" on Earth channel anima, but do so in a variety of ways, including witchcraft, "theurgy" and mysterious shadow powers. Two different "types" of anima can only theoretically "counter" each other; it's as strange as expecting "heat" to counter "impulse" (using types of physical energy). However, years of practice have tended to isolate specific methods of channeling anima that ''can ''be utilized to defeat users of that type (and as a result most mages have some sort of near-universal "dispel magic" power). Cosmic Many powers are innate to beings with simply more exotic features than humans: super-strength, flight, and a strange vulnerability to one's homeworld are "innate" traits of Kryptonians, but certainly not to humans. These "unique by mortal standards" powers are generically referred to as "cosmic powers," and include everything from an alien's ability to breathe in space and channel plasma to a super who can teleport by opening rifts in the space-time continuum or a powersuit powered by a miniature black hole. Cosmic powers are significant because they are ''not ''supernatural by the standards of those using them, ''and ''they are native to the physical, "real" universe. The former rule is more of a guideline; it's not unheard of for humans to acquire cosmic powers in some way, such as exposure to specific forms of stellar radiation. Mundane Many superheroes have no powers at all, relying on their wits and often gadgets to carry the day. The Supers setting is somewhat more lenient than the real world in regards to what "normal people" are capable of, but they are substantially disadvantaged compared to true supers. It's recommended that mundanes be shifted toward defense and attack (rather than toughness or damage) for realism purposes. Mutation A mutation is a change to an organism's genome caused by a variety of factors. In real life, mutations are usually disadvantageous and are ''vastly ''to more likely to kill someone than grant super powers! In the Supers setting, mutations tend to be unrealistically drastic and beneficial as often as not (although those properties are usually confined to humans, else the world be overrun with Fallout-esque mutated super-animals). The vast majority of mutations are obviously physiological, and often cellular: super-strength granted by better control and instant repair of muscle fibers, regeneration, resistance to damage and disease, and so on. More exotic mutations are rare but not unheard of. In recent years, advances in pharmaceutical technology have led to the development of artificially-induced mutations, some accidental, others not so much. Some "super drugs" are even available on the black market (such as "poppers," quick-acting pills that grant superior strength and muscle density for a brief time that are a hit with bodyguards and the occasional unscrupulous athlete). Still, the high risk (and severity) of side effects and unexpected results have kept them from being widely accepted. Psionics Psychics are those whose minds can exert effects on the physical world. The most common psionic power is the "sixth sense," a mental "awareness" of the conscious world. The second most common is the ability to connect to those minds for instant, direct communication; this is called "telepathy." Many other psychic powers exist, such as telekinesis (the ability to create physical force with the mind) and the ability to take over another's consciousness with "mind control." Psionics is effected by unique brain-waves; these can be picked up on by those who can also detect the "sixth sense," and blocked by certain materials depending on the psionic waves' power and frequency (the most common seems to be aluminum, although the same copper paint used to block wi-fi signals sometimes also stops psychic waves). Some psychics are either too powerful or have unknown waves and can't be countered in this fashion. Spirit/''Chi In the Supers setting, every human (and in theory, every sentient being) has a small amount of "essence" deep within them that goes beyond the physical world. Often, this "spiritual energy" (referred to most commonly by its Chinese synonym "chi") is left untouched, only manifesting to bolster one's will against supernatural attacks and exert effects "just a little" beyond his or her limits. Some, however, learn to harness this "chi" and do truly amazing things with it. Masters of spiritual energy tend to be those who have the time and patience to understand it: martial artists, sages, and even some clergy, for example. Devotion to a specific cause, when balanced with meditation and discipline; seems more likely to "spark" understanding of chi, and naturally this control grows with age, which is why some of the most powerful chi-using supers are also the oldest. Supertech Technology that is not realistically possible (at least, not yet) but nevertheless exists in the Supers setting is loosely categorized as "supertech." This includes everything from ridiculously powerful firearms to battlesuits to clockwork multitools, and may also refer to powers granted by Science! that aren't necessarily mutations. Most users of supertech are otherwise mundane, but this is not required; Heavy Artillery has the mutant power to dissipate recoil, which let him use safely use his oversized supertech weapons. Transcendent Powers used by beings that exist beyond the bounds of the physical universe. Transcendent powers may be innate to these beings or acquired by other means (much of the Maya god Itzamna's powers came from a scepter he actually charged with magic on Earth, not his home dimension of Xibalba), but they are always different from the powers of material beings. Most "gods" are extradimensional life-forms with transcendent powers, often to such degree they can grant powers to their followers in the universe.